HP: Wormwood and Lightning Wood

Lucius rose to his feet, his serpent staff tapping softly on the marble floor. "I apologize for not greeting you sooner. What brings you here, Master Somerset?"

West smiled. "No need to be nervous, Malfoy. Your son Draco is very relaxed in front of me."

Upon hearing Draco's name, Lucius and Narcissa looked rather displeased.

"You...know my son?" Lucius forced a smile with a stiff face.

"Don't scare them," Snape suddenly said.

"Okay, I didn't mean to, Severus."

The Malfoys were both stunned.

"Sit down and talk," Snape whispered, looking at his stunned friend.

After the four sat down, the atmosphere froze for a moment.

West broke the silence, "I'm here to ask if Malfoy has any plans to join the Order of the Phoenix?"

Here we go again! West's characteristic bluntness. Snape sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

Lucius turned pale. "I don't understand. What does this mean? He's been gone for a long time..." He looked to Snape for help.

"There's no point in deceiving yourself," West said with a laugh. "Can't you feel it? The Dark Mark sometimes heats up..."

Lucius froze, his arm seeming to burn again.

"You know his personality, right? For so many years, you 'loyal' subordinates have ignored him and remained aloof. Now that he's back, how are you going to purge all of you?"

West picked up his teacup, took a leisurely sip, and said, "Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about Draco. Is his personality suitable for working under Voldemort?"

He put Draco's name and Voldemort's name together, which startled the Malfoys and made them tense.

Narcissa looked at West, "If we join the Order of the Phoenix, can you protect Draco?"

Lucius whispered, "Cici!"

"Luke! Do you know what kind of person he is! He even petrified Little Dragon in their second year!" Narcissa's voice was shrill. "I never want Little Dragon to live that kind of life!"

Lucius recalled the accident in his second year of high school, and seemed to age several years, letting out a sigh.

"Lady Malfoy is far more decisive than you," West said. "What are you worried about, Lucius?"

"Will Malfoy be a pawn to be manipulated, or the one to overturn the game?"

"What makes you so confident that you can defeat him?" Lucius asked bluntly.

"Somerset and the Order of the Phoenix, how dare you compare us to a worthless piece of trash clinging to life?" West sneered in a low voice.

"To be honest, killing Voldemort is a minor issue—you probably don't know this, but Voldemort created several Horcruxes, which is why he was able to return."

He smiled knowingly. "You can ask Draco what he thinks; he saw Voldemort in his first year."

Lucius's eyes widened. These old-fashioned pure-blood nobles were very wary of splitting one's soul, as it would turn you from a noble wizard into a mindless beast.

"No wonder... his personality has changed so much..." Lucius murmured.

He looked at Snape, "Severus, you...?"

Snape noticed Lucius's wavering, and after a long silence, said, "...I betrayed him long ago."

Lucius was shocked. Lucius's eyes widened.

"Okay, I understand." He finally sighed, stood up, and shook hands with West.

"Welcome, Lucius," West said with a smile. "Well then, I have one more question. Please think about it: what other Horcruxes does Voldemort possess...?"

"I don't know..." Lucius blurted out instinctively. The Dark Lord wouldn't tell them something so important; he didn't trust anyone.

“Perhaps I know a little,” Narcissa interjected. “Once, my sister Bella Lestrange told me, after she was drunk, that the Dark Lord gave the Lestrange a treasure and told them to hide it well. Bella put it in Gringotts’ vault.”

"Thank you for the news, madam," West said with a smile.

"May I speak with you in private, Severus?" Lucius asked.

Snape nodded and said to West, "You wait for me here."

Lucius and Snape went to another room.

Lucius looked at his junior with a complicated expression and sighed, "You betrayed the Dark Lord a long time ago? When?"

"...Before she got into trouble." Snape frowned, his face pale.

Lucius sighed, "You really can't forget her. Did you make some kind of deal with Dumbledore? That wretched old liar..."

"Severus, I hope the path I've chosen won't lead the Malfoy family to its end."

"No," Snape said, his tone cold but firm.

The afternoon sun shone through the window and fell on Snape, giving him a golden glow.

Lucius was momentarily blinded by the light reflected from Snape's ring, then his gaze shifted to Snape's hand. "When did you... start wearing rings?"

Lucius stopped abruptly, staring dumbfounded at the ring on Snape's right index finger.

It was a ring inlaid with emeralds, with a gilded black snake band around the band, and two clusters of ghostly fire in the snake's eyes reflecting the light flowing from the gemstones.

"What?" Snape asked, puzzled.

"...What's your relationship with Somerset?" Seeing Snape's puzzled look, Lucius felt a pang of heartache, as if his junior had been taken advantage of.

"...Friend," Snape said. West's identity cannot be revealed yet.

Lucius remained silent.

Did Severus not realize that the ring he was wearing was the other half of the Somerset family head's ring?! Help!

Lucius forced a smile, "Haha."

Snape glanced at him, feeling that the old senior was acting strangely today; was he going through menopause?

"I'll head back now if there's nothing else," Snape said.

"……OK."

Snape and Lucius returned to the drawing room and found West chatting with Narcissa, the atmosphere quite pleasant.

"I also noticed his clothes...this must be the latest style..."

"Of course, I had it specially ordered from Ms. Morkin..."

West was speaking when he caught a glimpse of Snape out of the corner of his eye. "Severus, you're back?"

Snape nodded.

"Then we'll take our leave. It was a pleasure to meet you, madam." West stood up and said goodbye to Narcissa.

Narcissa covered her mouth and laughed. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Somerset."

Lucius was utterly bewildered. What had happened in just a few minutes? His Sissy was already dating Somerset?!

West followed Snape back to the Hogwarts cellars via the Floo Network.

Lucius looked at Narcissa, somewhat displeased, "This kid has already won your heart so quickly, Cici?"

Narcissa glared at him. "Luke, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"But he really is an outstanding and handsome young man, isn't he?"

Lucius told Narcissa about the ring, his face full of disappointment and frustration.

Narcissa chuckled. "I think it's a good idea. Severus is too lonely—you know what I mean, Somerset would be a good choice."

Severus Snape was like a piece of debris; only someone strong enough could hold him back and prevent him from drifting aimlessly like a ship without an anchor.